


You and Me, and the Woman We Could Be

by Darthkvzn



Series: There Was Once An Avenger From Krypton [7]
Category: Dragon Ball, Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Accidental fusion, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Details Inside!, Dragon Ball Characters in the MCU, F/F, F/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Saiyan Culture, Saiyan Fusion (with a Steven Universe-y twist), Teen Romance, extremely au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24630583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darthkvzn/pseuds/Darthkvzn
Summary: Caulifla has never really been much for learning Saiyan history. To be fair, her people have, traditionally, been more interested in beating the shit out of each other than in jotting down the course of their civilization - and she hasn't even been to planet Vegeta, anyways.Now, though, as she stares in disbelief at the extra pair of arms of this strange, new form of hers and Kale’s, she kinda wishes she’d paid a bit more attention to her father’s lectures...
Relationships: Bardock/Gine (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Caulifla/Kale (Dragon Ball), Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Series: There Was Once An Avenger From Krypton [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1316201
Kudos: 23





	1. Started Out with an Interrupted Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Things to know, as this is an extremely AU take - and full disclosure, I've never watched a single episode of Dragon Ball. I just play Dragon Ball Legends and I kinda fell in love with the concept of Saiyans, if not necessarily their execution.  
> -Caulifla's the youngest kid of Gine and Bardock, was born in Xandar, and hasn't stepped foot in her species' homeworld  
> -Incidentally, planet Vegeta was never destroyed by Frieza. Things are still kinda shitty for Saiyans, but y'know. No genocide.  
> -Kale is an orphan, and the younger sister of Broly.  
> -Bardock is a grumpy old man, confined to a hoverchair, constantly complaining about the soft life they lead in Xandar  
> -Gine owns a bustling little deli shop in Xandar's capital  
> -Kakarot trains non-stop to one day beat his nemesis in sports - the undefeated champion of the Tournament of Power, Broly  
> -Raditz is a bounty hunter, operating out of Knowhere
> 
> Lots more changes, but that's your primer! Any questions, let me know!

Caulifla has never really been much for learning Saiyan history.

To be fair, there’s really not much of it; her species comes from a planet whose very _name_ is ephemeral, changing to match that of its current ruler – King Vegeta, planet Vegeta – and the _Saiyajin_ of old were, by all accounts, more interested in beating the _shit_ out of each other and everyone around them than in registering the events their violent civilization went through. On top of that, and unlike her parents and brothers, she’s never stepped foot on the Saiyan homeworld – as far as she’s concerned, she’s a citizen of the Nova Empire.

Now, though, as she stares in disbelief at the extra pair of arms of this strange, new form of hers and Kale’s, she _kinda_ wishes she’d paid a _bit_ more attention to her father’s lectures.

It all starts because of the wreckage they find, nearly a month after Ronan’s failed attempt to destroy Xandar. It’s a Ravager _M-Class_ Hunter-Killer, crash landed in the outskirts of the city, and thus deemed a low priority salvage and clean-up operation by the Nova Corps. Pieces of the broken ship landed near a long-abandoned factory she and Kale usually hang out at, so they’ve been following the trail to the main fuselage, which they find half buried into an otherwise idyllic little grassy knoll, and strangely surrounded by a friggin’ _platoon_ of dead Sakaaran soldier drones.

Kale nearly _books_ it back to the city on the spot. Caulifla’s more focused on what a _badass_ the Ravager pilot must’ve been.

Soft spot that she has for Kale and all, Caulifla takes all the corpses and tosses them into a nearby lake, and the pair gets to spelunking. The inside is... _filthy,_ as befits a Ravager starship – again, Kale is _not_ a fan – but Caulifla’s too enthralled to care. There’s bottles of liquor strewn all around, trophies taken from defeated foes – everything from reptilian skulls to a dented Nova soldier’s helm – and a broken, yellow-plated android that Caulifla is _ninety-five_ percent sure is one of those infamous Contraxian _Love Bots._

 _That_ one she ushers Kale away from.

Eventually, she forces the lock of the armory compartment, digging into its mostly intact contents. “Oh, _nice!_ ” –Caulifla says, excitedly picking up a pair of Quad Blasters and holding them in what she deems a cool pose. “How do I look?”

Kale giggles. “Like a kid raiding a space pirate’s armory, silly.”

Caulifla rolls her eyes. “Oh, the guy’s not coming back for this shit.” –she shrugs. “Far as I’m concerned, this is _mine_ now.”

“What would you even _do_ with it, Cauli?” –Kale shakes her head.

“I dunno. Maybe we could start our _own_ Ravager clan.” –she suggests. “Sail the starry seas, beat self-righteous _pricks_ up...rob Uncle Turles blind.” –she snickers. “Sky’s the limit. And not even then, if we can fix this _bucket of bolts_ up, somehow.”

Kale tilts her head. “I’m _pretty_ sure your uncle has us beat in the piracy department.”

Caulifla primes the blaster, pointing at the ceiling. “Oh, I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Mama doesn’t like it, but he’s given me a few pointers.” –she says. She demonstrates by firing a couple bolts, which go through the slowly rusting metal like it’s not even there.

“I thought you wanted to be a bounty hunter, though? Like Raditz?” –Kale says, after a moment of staring at the unnecessary new holes in the hull, raising an eyebrow.

The wild-haired teen blows air out, like she’s deflating, falling onto her back. Hitting the frigid metal floor barely fazes the Saiyan. “I don’t even _know_ anymore. Raditz’s job is _cool_ and all, but...there’s so many _rules_ to it. And, like, half the time you’re just _waiting_ on a bounty, or stalking a dude because he’s hiding on a backwater planet, or he bought out a Kree Warlord or whatever. The more Raditz tells me about the job, the less I wanna do it, y’know?”

Kale hums. She _doesn’t,_ not really – she’d _probably_ be perfectly happy with whatever Nova Corps-assigned job she’ll get once she turns twenty-one, or Kai forbid, as a _housewife_ – but her fellow Saiyan has always at least _tried_ to, unlike the rest of her family. They might phrase it differently, but they all want her to follow in their respective footsteps; Kakarot explicitly wants her to train at Old Man Gohan’s dojo and eventually enter the Tournament, Bardock keeps loudly talking about how Prince Vegeta is looking for a new bodyguard, and her mother none-too-subtly expects her to be the _one_ person in the family not to drop out of school _at least_ until she finishes college.

Only Raditz and Kale avoid putting that kind of pressure on her – and even then, Raditz doesn’t because he _probably_ doesn’t _give a shit._

She sighs, then puts on a cocky smirk. “So, what about it? You in for some space adventures?”

The taller Saiyan lays down next to her. “Hmm. Being whisked away from the comfort of my fancy, state-funded orphanage to live day by day as one of the group of ruffians famously wanted throughout most of the known galaxy, not knowing if I’ll live to see tomorrow?” –she pretends to consider.

Caulifla winces. “...with me?” –she reminds her, meekly.

Kale laughs. “Well, _duh._ I told you, I’d follow you anywhere.”

“Yeah, well. We were _tiny babies_ when you said that.” –Caulifla defends herself.

“We were _eleven,_ Cauli. _Practically_ teenagers.”

“Babies, I said!” –she chuckles, then turns to stare at the green-eyed Saiyan. She’s... _way_ too close, and Caulifla is suddenly all too aware of the fact that she was too lazy to wash her teeth after breakfast today. “So, you mean it?” –she asks, tentatively.

Kale raises an eyebrow. “Unless you plan on diving into a _black hole_ or something, yeah.”

“Well, who knows? Maybe there’s some _cool shit_ at the bottom, you don’t know.”

“I happen to _pay attention_ in Astrophysics, so I definitely _do_ know.” –Kale says, sarcastic. “Nothing down there but infinite gravity and space-time stretching forever and ever, until they cease to have any meaning.”

“...well, it definitely _sounds_ like Astrophysics class.” –Caulifla jokes, which Kale rewards with a snorting laugh.

The pair locks gazes, not for the first time. They’ve always been close – Caulifla being something of a chronic vagabond, and Kale trying her best to hide away from the scrutiny that comes with being the sister of the undefeated champion of the Tournament of Power. Recently though, their friendship’s gotten... _charged,_ with something not _entirely_ unpleasant. It makes the normally brash Caulifla nervous, and the normally meek Kale daring, and their dynamic has yet to settle into... _whatever_ it’s becoming.

Well, Caulifla _knows,_ but she doesn’t dare name it. Not yet.

Kale’s eyes narrow, and she begins to lean towards her, but something causes her to glance towards the ceiling. Caulifla follows her gaze, and finds herself gasping; the fuselage’s main support beam is rapidly bending, damaged beyond repair by her careless shooting, and a large section of the hull is _moments_ away from falling right on top of them. Caulifla curses, frantically trying to remember the _ki_ blasting technique Kakarot taught her _years_ ago, but she only succeeds in making her hand glow. The hull fragment breaks off, and Kale leaps on top of her, trying to shield her with her body.

What happens next is... _confusing._

There’s a great flash of light and heat, and a thunderous crash as the debris makes contact. But Caulifla doesn’t feel herself _pop,_ or her bones crack; instead, she seems to have swapped places with Kale, who’s...nowhere to be found. She rises, the massive sheet of metal on top of her sliding off of her body like it’s no heavier than her bedsheets.

She stares at the debris, bewildered. Saiyans are _strong,_ certainly – one of the strongest races in the galaxy – but...not _that_ strong.

As the shock passes, the feeling of disorientation grows to nearly unbearable levels; it’s like jumping through one too many warp gates without moving at all – and, on top of that, everything seems to be the _wrong size._ Caulifla’s positively _tiny,_ for a Saiyan – even with her signature wild mane, she _barely_ reaches Kale’s nose – and now she feels _cramped,_ in a cabin intended for a crew of five humanoids. Her clothes are tearing, too, barely holding together as she moves around, strained by her body’s apparent growth.

“What the _fuck?_ ” –she wonders aloud, staring at her hands...and then _shrieks,_ as another set of arms comes up underneath them. She follows the new limbs, and realizes they’ve sprouted from just underneath her regular arms. Stumbling on legs _way_ too long to be hers, she searches for the closest reflective source available – the transparisteel viewport on the cockpit – and gasps as she sees an _entirely_ different person staring back at her.

It’s like...well, it’s like she and Kale had a _baby._ A _massive,_ four-armed, apparently _twin-tailed_ baby. Their skin tones are mixed, their hairstyles have merged, and the eyes are mismatched – one black, like hers, and one green, like Kale’s – and judging by the fact that one of her hands is reaching out to touch the cracked, crystal-like metal without any input on her part, she’s _pretty_ sure that’s no coincidence.

“We _fused._ ” –she hears herself say. The voice, she now realizes, is twofold; hers and Kale’s, the words uttered at exactly the same time, in exactly the same tone. “I-I... _how?_ ”

“I don’t know.” –Caulifla says, the voices hollow. “I didn’t...I didn’t even _know_ Saiyans could _fuse._ ”

The fusion blinks, looking back to the spot where they merged. The heat was, apparently, so _intense_ it melted the metal underneath them, still glowing faintly in the relative darkness of the ship’s interior. “I’ve never heard of this before, either.” –Kale says. “...what do we do? Should we unfuse?”

“ _No_ _shit,_ we have to unfuse.” –she says, hating the fear that colors their voice.

“But... _how?_ We don’t even know how we fused in the first place.” –Kale reminds her. “We need to ask your parents.”

Caulifla winces. “Yeah, that’s _not_ happening. Bardock’s gonna go _apeshit_ if we show up like this. You _know_ how he is about Saiyans getting body mods. He won’t even accept an implant that’d let him _walk again;_ he’ll blow a fuse at _this._ ” –she says, gesturing at their shared body. She doesn’t even want to _think_ about what Gine will say, though for _entirely_ different reasons – her mother is, bar none, the _biggest_ proponent of her and Kale’s ongoing... _thing._

“ _What_ ‘thing’?” –Kale asks, making Caulifla blush inside – which quickly reflects on their fused visage. “...Caulifla, _why_ are we blushing?”

“ _N-nothing,_ forget about it!” –Caulifla hastily stammers. “We need to find someone else. Some egghead who can zap us apart or whatever.”

“Cauli, _talk_ to me.” –Kale ignores her, gently prodding. “I’m trying my _hardest_ to push your thoughts away, but you’re... _thinking too loud._ What don’t you want me to know?”

“I... _later._ This isn’t the time.” – _or the way,_ she thinks. “ _Please,_ can you think of anybody who might be able to help?”

Kale sighs. “I... _guess_ we could try going to the xeno-geneticist who studied my brother’s _anomalies._ Doctor Bulma Briefs.”

Caulifla tilts their head. “The Capsule Corp heiress?”

“That’s the one!” –Kale nods for them both. “How’d you know of her?”

“She married the Prince of all Saiyans.” –Caulifla says, sarcastically. “We went to the wedding when I was... _five,_ maybe? Got invited because of Bardock’s sacrifice and all.”

“ _Huh._ ” –Kale says. “Well, she studies the Saiyan genome...maybe she knows something about fusing?”

“If not, she could probably figure it out. It’s worth a shot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a coffee's worth of money to spare.
> 
> This is intended as a 3-5 chapter fic! Short little romance-tinged story, hope you enjoy!


	2. Two and a Half Saiyans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though getting to Capsule Corp is a bit of a trek, the accidentally fused Saiyans finally get to meet Dr. Bulma Briefs - thanks to cute little Trunks, for whom they seem to already be a bit of a bad influence.
> 
> Unfortunately, the genius heiress might have more questions than answers...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Hope this chapter finds you well :D let me know if you have any questions about this particular corner of my crossover universe!

Xandar’s capital city has nearly been restored to its former glory, the unfortunate hundreds of dead from Ronan’s attack cremated, and the buildings reconstituted via _liberal_ use of nanobot welders – a testament to the vast resources the Nova Empire wields and the resilience of its people. People seem to go about their day to day as if a three mile wide Kree warship hadn’t broken apart and wrecked their home.

Which is to say, even a twelve foot tall woman with four arms and twin, furry tails doesn’t stand out _too_ much amidst the rather _eclectic_ mix of alien races that call Xandar home. Mostly, it’s their strained, ripped clothing that draws people’s gaze, which means their first stop is a clothing store – within their budget, as a lower-middle class kid and a state-funded orphan – netting them a pair of baggy white pants, a dark blue sash around their waist, a cute-but-too-skimpy-for-Kale black bralette, and a _truly_ ugly but _super_ cheap gray vest with orange padding around their upper shoulders and neck. They’re forced to go barefoot, since none of the three stores they visit have shoes in their size, and both of their pairs of shoes apparently ripped open during the fusion.

Once adequately clothed, it’s a rush to the Capsule Corp HQ, located in the business sector, of course. Getting there is a bit of an _issue,_ as their new proportions render most means of public transportation _sorely_ inadequate, but they eventually cram into – and almost fill – a mag-train cabin.

Caulifla tosses their head back, sighing. “There goes my allowance.”

“At least we look good.” –Kale says. “I wasn’t feeling the vest, but it really _does_ complete the look.”

Caulifla snorts. “If you say so. We could’ve easily gone without.”

She feels their cheeks blush. Kale’s always been something of a prude. “As good as you make it look, I really can’t go for that. I feel half naked as it is.”

The blush continues, but this time it’s squarely Caulifla’s. “I thought you weren’t a fan.”

“W-what? I _love_ your look, Cauli. Why would you think otherwise?”

The passenger closest to them – an aging Korbinite – has started staring at their seemingly nonsensical conversation, but Caulifla doesn’t really give a shit. Not when this conversation seems so much more important at the moment. “Well, you always _scowl_ when I show some skin, Kale. What _else_ am I supposed to think?”

“I just...” –Kale purses their lips. “I don’t like how much people stare at you.” –she admits. “You’re so _confident,_ you probably don’t even notice, but...they ogle at you, a _lot,_ and I _hate_ it.”

Caulifla raises their eyebrow. “Kale, I _definitely_ notice – I just don’t give _two shits,_ because I don’t dress like that for _them._ I dress like that for _me,_ because I look _good_ in it. They can choke on their drool, for all I care – the only other opinion I care about is yours.”

“... _oh._ ” –Kale says, meekly. “Well, I...I really like it. Your abs look _incredible._ ” –she sighs dreamily, then catches herself. “Your, um, exercise routine really shows.”

The shorter Saiyan smirks. “I could always drag your ass to Kame House.” –she says. “I’m sure Kakarot or Chi-Chi would jump at the chance to train you.”

Kale winces. “Getting pummeled on a bi-weekly basis isn’t _exactly_ my idea of fun.” –she says. “Besides, fighting isn’t for me, no matter how much Paragus may have wanted my brother and I to be _demon Saiyans,_ or whatever. Even Broly fighting in the Tournament feels too much like following that path.”

Caulifla crosses their upper arms. It’s true that Kale’s long dead old man messed with her and Broly’s genetics in order to create some kind of... _Super Saiyan,_ and Broly _does_ indeed enter some kind of mindless, unstoppable rage mode in particularly tough fights – which is how he’s gone undefeated for five years, now – but Kale’s never shown any signs of sharing that particular berserk button. If anything, Kale is _kind_ of a pushover.

“Suit yourself.” –she shrugs. “And hey, on the bright side, if we stay fused forever, you’ll keep the abs.” –she jokes, poking their rock-hard tummy.

Kale giggles. “Don’t even _say_ that, Cauli.” –she shakes their head. “Though...they _are_ pretty nice...” –she says, joining Caulifla in pawing at their midriff.

If either of them notices how the old Korbinite scoots a little further away from them, they don’t say a thing.

* * *

Capsule Corporation is one of the Empire’s largest suppliers of day-to-day tech solutions, from hygiene products to portable hovercraft. Their success is owed to the creation of DynoCaps – small, capsule like devices that can store up to four-hundred cubic feet of _whatever_ you want, with the exception of living beings. They’re not exactly _cheap,_ but their convenience factor is so great that most everyone in Xandar has at least a _couple_ DynoCaps in their home. Caulifla’s mom keeps two delivery vans for the deli shop stored in capsules whenever they aren’t in use, for example.

Their HQ is a massive dome, surrounded by several silo-like structures. The complex was largerly undamaged by the _Dark Aster’s_ precipitous crash, but Caulifla-Kale can still spot more than a couple recently renovated or rebuilt sections, most notably a suspiciously clean patch of wall on the third story, just under the Capsule Corp logo – likely the result of a sizeable piece of debris crashing into the dome. Still, much like the rest of the city, customers and employees mill about as usual, which means they nearly trample several concerned citizens on the way inside.

Once they’re in, they head straight for the elderly Namekian at the receptions desk. The lobby is mostly empty; aside from the receptionist, there’s a couple of female Krylorians and a young, lavender haired Xandarian kid looking bored as he sits on one of the cushy sofas in the waiting area. The slug-like humanoid looks them up and down in clear surprise, but settles on a kind smile. “Welcome to Capsule Corp! What can we make portable for you today?”

“Nothing.” –Caulifla says, startling the Namekian with the sound of their doubled voice. “We’re here to talk to Bulma.”

The Namekian’s antennae twitch in obvious surprise. “Do you have an appointment?”

Caulifla shakes their head. “She’s a family friend.”

It's not _exactly_ a lie, but it ain't the whole truth, either. The receptionist blinks. “...I see. Well, I’m afraid seeing Dr. Briefs without an appointment is next to impossible.” –they say. “Shall I pencil you in?”

Caulifla groans. “We don’t have however many _months_ you’re about to set us back. We need to talk to her _now._ ”

“Please, ma’am, it’s _scarcely_ a two week wait.” –they say, offended, as if _that’s_ any better. “Like I said, Dr. Briefs is a _very_ busy woman. You’re lucky she’s even planetside at the moment. Now, if there’s nothing else...?”

“ _Fine._ ” –Caulifla grits out.

“It is?” –Kale chimes in.

“ _Yeah._ We’ll figure something out.” –she says, sneering at the confusion plainly visible on the Namekian’s visage.

They step outside, and stare up at the looming dome. “Which floor do you think her office might be at?” –Caulifla wonders.

“Probably the top floor. Why?” –Kale raises their eyebrow, suspicious.

“Like I said, we don’t have the time.” –she says. “How high do you think we can jump now?”

Kale gasps. “Cauli, we _can’t!_ They’re gonna be so mad at us!”

“Not once we talk to Bulma, they won’t.” –she says, then crosses her arms. “ _Look,_ if you have a better idea, I’m all ears. But you have to check in at the orphanage by tonight so they don’t think you’re a vagrant, and _I_ can’t go home like this. We need a solution, and we need it _now._ ”

Kale shakes her head. “This is _crazy..._ ”

Caulifla smirks. “I ain’t hearing a _‘no’,_ yet.”

“Um, excuse me.” –a small voice says, beside them. They turn, and find the same lavender haired kid from before looking up at them. The boy can’t be much older than four or five, but his clear blue eyes denote intelligence beyond his age. He’s holding a cute, well-worn plushie in the shape of Oozaru, the _Saiyajin_ god of war, a Great Ape with golden fur and crimson skin. “Are you trying to talk to my mom?”

They blink at the rather precocious kid. “Your...mom? Are you Bulma’s son?”

The child nods. “She’s in a meeting right now. I’m waiting for her, too.”

The fusion kneels beside the half-Saiyan – Caulifla didn’t recognize it at first, but the furry lavender belt around his waist is very clearly his tail, upon inspection, worn in the traditional upper class Saiyan way – as the son of the Prince of All Saiyans is wont to. “ _Huh._ What’s your name, kid?”

“Trunks.” –he says, proudly.

“I thought you’d have a Saiyan name.” –Caulifla notes. “’Trunks’ is a fun name, though.”

Trunks looks a little downcast at this. “Thanks, but...I don’t think my dad likes it too much. I heard Uncle Nappa say that the other royals make fun of it. Dad gets grumpy about it.”

By all accounts, Prince Vegeta is less of a _jackass_ than his father, but that’s not really saying much, from what Caulifla’s heard of the Saiyan King. “Well, it might not be a _traditional_ Saiyan name, but I like it.” –Kale says. “I’m Kale.”

Trunks tilts his head in confusion. “But...I thought you said your name was ‘Cauli’...?”

“Caulifla, actually. And it’s kind of a funny story.” –Caulifla says. “See, Kale and I accidentally fused, and we wanted to talk to your mom, see if she can help us split up.”

The boy gasps, clearly fascinated. “You mean you’re two people? In one body?” –he breathes out. “ _Whoa!_ And you’re Saiyans, too!”

“Tails give it away?”

He nods, giggling. “Two people, two tails. I get it, now.” –he says. The kid fiddles with his own, pastel-colored tail. “Dad says my tail is special. He says Saiyan tails are supposed to be black, but mine is purple.”

“That’s not a bad thing, though. The tail matches your hair, and your hair is kind of like your mom’s, right?” –Caulifla says. “Besides, Oozaru’s tail wasn’t dark, was it?” –she nods at the plushie.

Trunks holds up the cute little godling. Indeed, the legend goes that, before deciding to walk the earth as a mortal, Golden Oozaru bathed in the blood of his divine enemies, permanently staining his crimson fur, tail included, with the golden ichor. It’s a bit of a _morbid_ tale, but by Saiyan standards, it’s practically a lullaby. “That’s right!” –Trunks says, excited. “I need to tell mom! Come on, let’s go!”

Kale winces. “The Namekian didn’t wanna let us in, buddy. I don’t think that’s changed in the last five minutes.”

Trunks shakes his head. “I guess not. We can use mom’s secret entrance, though!” –he suggests.

Caulifla grins; five minutes with the kid and they’re already turning him into a delinquent. “Lead the way, kid.”

* * *

Bulma’s ‘secret entrance’ turns out to be just the ‘employees only’ access at the back of the complex. It’s more heavily secured, too – gotta guard those corporate secrets, of course – but Trunks’ presence seems to be all the authorization they need. Security certainly gives them a few dubious looks, but the half-Saiyan tyke has everyone so wrapped around his finger, that they figure the fused girls are just an odd new babysitter or something to that effect.

Caulifla feels the smugness radiating off of Kale through their mental link as the extremely cramped elevator deposits them at the very top floor of the Capsule Corp dome. Caulifla-Kale has to almost walk on all sixes to keep up with Trunks, who’s insistently pulling on their lower right arm – and Prince Vegeta _should_ be proud, as the toddler already has enough strength to actually move them on his own. The doors to Dr. Briefs’ office open, and in they go.

Bulma Briefs looks just as young and vibrant as she did thirteen-odd years ago, not that Caulifla can remember all that much about the event. Her bright cyan hair is arranged in an immaculately kept bob, her clothes rather casual and plain-looking under the lab coat she wears. She seems to be reviewing the holographic blueprints for an odd, saucer-shaped craft, the inside of which looks more like a gym than a starship.

Capsule Corp’s heiress looks at the new arrivals through the hologram, and quickly dispels it. “Trunks? Who’s your new friend?” –she asks.

“Caulifla!” –he says. “And Kale! They’re two people in one body.” –he proudly explains.

Caulifla-Kale waves with both right hands. Bulma’s eyes widen. “Bardock’s kid? And Broly’s sister? What the _heck_ did you two do?”

They tell her everything – the ship, the accident, the fusion. The mental link, and the bleeding effect mixing their emotions up. The _incredible_ strength, but also the feeling of dysphoria at having such a radically different body to their own.

“I’ve never heard of anything like this.” –Bulma admits. “Not in Saiyans, at least. Gems, they fuse all the time, but _they’re_ just hard-light projections emitted by a gemstone – the actual core of their being. Some Cybertronians are born compatible, too, but that kind of thing is _exceedingly_ rare – and at any rate, both are _synthetic_ races. Saiyans are purely organic beings.” –she muses. “Then again...the Saiyan physiology is _extremely_ malleable – your very _cells_ battle for survival, constantly seeking improvement. I’ve seen Saiyans adapt to extreme heat, cold...even to the vacuum of _space,_ provided a sufficient nitrogen supply.”

Caulifla nods; her own brother, Raditz, doesn’t use a spacesuit because he’s grown used to the vacuum. All he wears is the facemask that lets him breathe. “And of course, there’s the hyper-dominant genetics.” –she says, glancing at Trunks, who nodded off during the explanation. “Trunks’ mixed genes are even more resilient to illness and damage than Vegeta’s – not that I’d ever tell him so.” –she snorts. “It flies in the face of everything we know about hybridization – the combined genomes have covered up for the shortcomings of each other, and created a perfectly viable being, with even more potential than a regular Saiyan child.”

All four of their arms cross. “Any idea what we can do then, Doc?”

Bulma sighs. “A couple, but like I said, this is unprecedented, as far as I can tell.” –she says. “If I had to give you some kind of diagnosis, I’d say the extreme circumstances you underwent precipitated a state of readiness at the cellular level that supercharged your cells’ ability to adapt to the oncoming threat. Since you were in physical contact at the time, this state could’ve feasibly resulted in the amalgamation you’ve become, but...even for the Saiyan biology, such a radical morphological shift, in such little time, defies explanation.” –she admits.

“If your bodies are still stuck in a sort of combined ‘fight or flight’ response, then shedding your tension could _potentially_ help the fusion naturally undo itself.” –she reasons. “But... _honestly,_ girls, I think there’s something beyond Saiyan biology at play, here. Aggressive _jarheads_ though they may be, Saiyans _have_ fought together for centuries, presumably in contact with each other, and none of them have ever fused.”

Caulifla frowns. “What are you saying?”

Bulma purses her lips, thinking deeply. “This is gonna sound a _little_ out of nowhere, but...are you two...dating?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a coffee's worth of money to spare.
> 
> Caulifla-Kale's fused outfit is meant to be the classic Metamoran outfit! I love the look of it (even if the girls think the shoulder pads are a bit much), but the concept of Metamoran fusion itself seemed a bit lacking, in my humble view, so I decided to just keep the outfit. Until next time!


	3. A Complete and Utter Lack of Emotional Intelligence (or: Saiyans, a History)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For one of Xandar's foremost scientists, Bulma's theory on the causes behind their fusion is surprisingly - and annoyingly - esoteric. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be all that helpful - unsurprising, given the unique nature of what they've become.
> 
> With the scientific answer proving ineffective, the girls move on to the next step - namely, beating people up until they get too tired to stay fused. But first, Kale wants to have an honest conversation...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I took a few days off writing, but I managed to use some of that time to plan things out, and I'm back with a vengeance. Just a couple chapters in this fic left after this one, if all goes to plan. I also wrote a whole Saiyan Creation Mythos applicable to this AU (so, uh, don't expect it to even approach canon) just for fun? It's on my Tumblr, but if you'd like to see it either as an addendum after chapter 5, or as its own little separate work, let me know.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Kale makes them blush, and Caulifla makes them stammer. “ _N-no,_ what gives? What the _hell_ kinda question is _that?_ ”

The bluenette smirks. “I know Saiyan history is kind of... _lacking,_ but before I married Vegeta, I tried to study as much of it as I could – to butter up the in-laws, you understand – and I came across the ancient conquest of the Metamoran race. Your Saiyan ancestors may not have recorded much of their own scientific progress, but you _bet_ they kept a _detailed_ account of everyone they beat the _shit_ out of.” –she says, sarcastic. “In _any_ case, the Metamoran people died out centuries ago. But they were _spiritual types_ in life, and they believed that all creatures in the universe were far more than, y’know, _atoms and matter._ They believed we all possess, to some degree, a capacity to connect _beyond_ what science can explain – and that the bonds of love, in all its forms, could empower us in ways defiant of the normal laws of the universe.”

She shakes her head, amused. “Naturally, your bloodthirsty ancestors dismissed that kind of _malarkey_ at the time – and so did I, as a firm believer of the scientific method, but...I know a bit better now. I’ve seen the massive skeletons of the Great Apes that your legends claim evolved into the Saiyan race. I’ve measured Broly’s _incredible,_ physics-defying energy output. And I’ve run enough tests on Vegeta’s and Trunks’ biometrics to conclude that there _might_ be a _bit_ more to the legend of the Super _Saiyajin_ than it might seem.” –she says, cryptically. “The point is, science can’t account for every phenomenon – at least, not yet. So perhaps the Metamorans were onto something – and Saiyans being an _extremely_ malleable, adaptable race...well, I wouldn’t be surprised if this fusion of yours was the ultimate expression of your bond. I know you’re not related, so _that’s_ why I asked if you were romantically involved.”

Caulifla can tell that Kale is fascinated by the prospect set up before them, but she’s not so enthused. “But how do we _unfuse,_ Doctor?” –she asks, frustrated.

Bulma raises an eyebrow, curiosity twinkling in her eyes. “Is it _really_ that terrible, being fused?”

“I... _no,_ it doesn’t hurt or anything.” –Caulifla mutters. “It was confusing to begin with, but we got used to the extra arms and the size pretty quick. But I can _feel_ the edges of our minds blurring, and that _freaks me out._ ”

Kale purses their lips. “It _is_ really strange.” –she says, quietly.

“Not to mention, we have separate lives we need to get back to.” –Caulifla grumbles. “I can’t go back home like this, and Kale needs to check in at the orphanage by nightfall.”

Bulma sighs. “Girls, both of those things could be very easily resolved. I could call Gine and tell her you’re helping me on a project, and I _certainly_ hold enough sway with the Nova Empire that Kale’s absence wouldn’t even be recorded. If you want to unfuse, you need to at least _try_ and understand _why_ you fused in the first place, and that’s gonna take some time.” –she explains. “There’s no book on this one, girls. We’re gonna have to write it ourselves.”

“Do we even _have_ that kind of time? What’s gonna happen when our minds fuse? Could they even _separate_ again?” –Caulifla argues. “What if we stay... _Kalelifla_ forever?”

The Xandarian winces at the portmanteau. “I...suppose it _is_ a possibility – and one growing by the second.” –she grudgingly admits, then sighs. “Ok, then. It’s back to basics, then – but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Bulma brings up a scanner and runs it over their combined form, nodding along as she analyzes the results. “As I surmised, your potential energy reserves are _through the roof,_ right now. Expending that energy will likely cause whatever process is sustaining it to decay, forcing the fusion to end – _if_ your fusion isn’t _permanent,_ that is.”

Caulifla scowls. “And if it is?”

The scientist gives them a grim look. “Then I suggest you start figuring out a better name than ‘Kalelifla’.”

* * *

Caulifla sighs as she looks up at Kame House, the island-bound training complex off the shores of Xandar’s capital city, owned by Kakarot’s martial arts master, Roshi. It’s a simple place – a small beach house where Roshi and some of his students live, neighboring a palm tree forest and a small mountain. Because of the things people learn here, however – mainly, the manipulation and _weaponization_ of a person’s inherent _ki –_ the place is much sturdier than anyone would give it credit. If Krillin is to be believed, this place can shrug off a _tsunami._

She’s been here many times before – spent most of her time here when she was a kid, in fact – but she’s never brought Kale along, generally opposed to fighting as she is. Even if she had, it’s not Caulifla _or_ Kale who’s about to knock on the door.

“What’s the matter?” –Kale gently prods.

Caulifla shakes their head. “It’s nothing.”

Kale makes them frown. “Don’t pull that with me, Cauli.” –she warns. “Not just because I can feel something _gnawing_ at you, either. We don’t keep secrets from each other. Not ones that matter, anyway.”

Caulifla snorts. “In a few hours, we won’t even be able to, right?” –she says, bitterly.

“You don’t know that. Even Doctor Briefs couldn’t tell us for sure.” –Kale reminds her. “But even if we do stay fused...we’ll make it work, somehow. We always do.”

Caulifla groans. “How can you _possibly_ stay so positive, Kale? We’d be the _same person._ Forever! We’d have four arms, we’d be twice as tall as Raditz...maybe we wouldn’t even be able to tell our own _inside voices_ apart anymore. Do you like, _want_ to stay fused?”

“No. I _don’t._ ” –she says, a not insignificant amount of fear coloring her voice. “But if I _have_ to be stuck like this with someone, I’m actually _glad_ it’s you.” –she says, hotly, then timidly asks: “...aren’t _you?_ ”

Caulifla stammers, the feelings she’s struggling to hold back forcing a blush onto their cheeks. _Yes,_ she wants to say, because she _is._ She knew, on a subconscious level, that she felt this way about Kale. She’s never _once_ thought about _anyone_ else the way she can’t help but imagine her and Kale together, in a world where she’s less of a coward – and Kale maybe a _bit_ less oblivious.

_Saiyans aren’t built for love,_ Bardock would grumble. Even though he loves his homeworld. Even though he loves his wife and children. Even though he loves his grandchildren, hybrids though they may be.

So it’s not that Caulifla doesn’t know what she feels. But she’s never had to put a name to these feelings, never been forced by anyone to accept that _yes,_ she _does_ have a massive crush on her best friend, that she would _very much_ like to kiss her, and that the only reason this fusion bothers her as much as it does is that, their thoughts melding as they seem to be, Kale might figure _all of this_ out at any moment.

Before Caulifla can bring herself to answer Kale’s ever so vulnerable question, her sister in law steps out of the house, looking all too familiarly concerned.

Chi-Chi’s a Xandarian, which _probably_ would’ve gotten Kakarot disowned, if not for the fact that, before Broly’s tenure as undefeated champion of the Tournament of Power, Chi-Chi used to be one of the annual front-runners. For a being with no discernible superhuman traits, that’s _pretty_ impressive. She’s since retired, of course – along with many others, who see Broly’s seemingly endless power and decide that _no,_ they _don’t_ want to spend a month in intensive care, actually. She teaches at Kame House, instead, though that’s on hold right now, seeing as how she’s a month, at _most,_ away from childbirth.

“Oh dear.” –she says, as soon as she gets close enough to speak. “Are you ok?”

Caulifla winces; the intensity of her inner turmoil has translated into their face wildly gesticulating, which must make them look pretty crazy. “We’re ok.” –she says. “But we need help.”

Chi-Chi frowns. “ _’We’_?”

“Caulifla.” –she says, waving with one hand. “Kale.” –she says, waving another.

The Xandarian blinks. “I... _what?_ ”

Caulifla sighs. “We fused, somehow.” –she sums up. “Think you could get the guys out here? We need to _beat some faces._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a coffee's worth of money to spare.
> 
> Until next time!


	4. Taking the Plunge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang back at Kame House finally meet Kale and Caulifla's fusion, but as it turns out, expending their energy in order to unfuse might not be as easy as they thought...and it might require taking some major risks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! I apologize for the long wait. Had a trip out of town and a couple weeks of not-so-great mental health days. Still, I'm honestly pretty proud of this one, and I hope you enjoy it!

The training grounds are surprisingly empty – more than likely, the aftermath of Ronan’s attack is keeping some of the students from attending – but some of the usual suspects are around, of course; Piccolo hovers a couple feet of the ground, sitting cross-legged in meditation, his white cape billowing in the wind. Gohan chases a screeching Goten around, probably playing at tail-tag. Krillin and Master Roshi lounge by the beach, chatting about.

And Goku, of course, is fighting someone.

Kakarot – or Son Goku, as he goes by these days, legal name change and all – is only twenty-five, but he’s probably had the _strangest_ life in the family, so far. He was born on planet Vegeta, but he never saw any of it, spending over _five years_ in a growth tube to make up for his weak and sickly constitution. Caulifla can’t fathom it now, but he reportedly came close to dying several times in those early years – his heart simply wouldn’t develop properly. Eventually, the treatment worked – just in time for the family to move to Xandar, following their father’s paralysis and forcible retirement. He then spent most of his teens getting into _way_ more trouble than any teenager ought to, tangling with Xandar’s criminal underworld, taking down the self-styled Demon King, Piccolo Sr., winning, like, _every_ tournament he’s ever entered, except for the Tournament of Power, and becoming a father at _eighteen._

Caulifla shudders at the thought of becoming a mother at her current age. Kale loves babies – of _course_ she does, she loves _everyone_ – so she doesn’t.

Unlike Caulifla, both Raditz and Kakarot were homeschooled, but it’s _very_ obvious that the education only really stuck with the elder Saiyan. Goku’s something of an airhead, not too bright in the conventional sense – according to Chi-Chi herself, he had _no idea_ sex made babies until little Gohan was born, which is just... _baffling_ – but he’s something of a _savant_ when it comes to fighting. He picks up techniques almost as quickly as he gulps down seven-course meals – he’s probably the hungriest Saiyan she’s ever met, Broly included – and has such an easy time manipulating his _ki_ that he hasn’t just learned the supposedly _extremely_ difficult signature technique taught at Kame House, the _Kamehameha Wave,_ but has even managed to invent some of his own.

Being much more of a... _rough and tumble_ kind of girl, Caulifla never bothered to learn any of the _fancy light show_ stuff. Watching Goku spar with Lazuli, though...she kinda regrets it.

It’s an interesting matchup, to be sure; Goku is very clearly the more talented fighter, but Krillin’s _literal mail-order wife_ is an absolute _tank_ – a Type-18 customizable companionship android built by Red Ribbon Robotics to last _several_ lifetimes – and pretty much _no-sells_ most of Goku’s physical blows. Lazuli _does_ avoid the more powerful _ki_ blasts, though, which tells her that they’re something to be reckoned with. There’s small bolts, shot _staccato_ from their palms as if to simulate plasma rounds, larger, cyan crescents that dig glowing hot trenches into the ground beneath them, and of course, the _Kamehameha_ Wave itself, a searing, white-hot beam of pure _ki_ energy shot from Goku’s linked palms that would _probably_ be powerful enough to down a Nova capital ship, yet continues to come up short when faced with Broly’s seemingly insurmountable might.

At any rate, the pair stop their spar as the fused Saiyans approach. Goku tilts his head, confused. “ _Whoa._ Who’s your new friend, Chi-Chi?” –he asks, his eyes shining in awe. “Their _ki_ is out of this _world!_ ”

“It’s your sister, numbskull.” –Caulifla smirks, crossing her own set of arms. Kale’s remain anxiously fidgeting by her sides.

Goku blinks. “ _Caulifla?_ ”

“And Kale, by the looks of it.” –Piccolo notes, rising from his meditative hover.

Before long, everyone’s crowded around her. “Ugh, _fine,_ get your staring over with, people.” –Caulifla says, rolling her eyes. To everyone’s credit, they all stop ogling them. They go through the motions of explaining the circumstances that led to their fusion, as well as the strange things they’ve noticed about their new form. “Bottom line, Kale and I fused, somehow.” –she explains, sitting down so they stop towering over everyone else.

“What, like _Gems?_ ” –Krillin asks, scratching his cheek.

“Kind of.” –Kale says. “But _they’re_ made of light, and we’re... _not._ It doesn’t make any sense.”

Caulifla sighs. “Really doesn’t. Even _Bulma_ couldn’t figure it out.”

Piccolo snorts. “People of science aren’t usually _inclined_ to decipher the supernatural – which seems to be behind your strange fusion, judging by your _ki._ ” –he says. “Your souls seem to be in the process of merging.”

The Saiyan girls shake their head in disbelief. “Wh– _souls?_ What are you _on_ about?” –Caulifla asks, exasperated.

The Namekian raises an eyebrow. “ _Ki_ is nothing more than the measurable expression of an individual’s life force, whether passive – as latent power to be unleashed – or active, usually in the form of ki blasts and visible power auras.”

“Yeah, like _this!_ ” –Goku says, then clenches his fists and _roars,_ becoming enveloped in a sort of flame-like energy, white-gold in color. His eyes even briefly glow, before the power-up subsides.

“All of which you’d have _learned_ if you’d kept up your lessons, kid.” –Piccolo says. “Even _Goten_ knows how to throw a _ki_ blast by now, and _he’s three._ ”

Goten giggles and waves at them. Caulifla tries to glare at her nephew, but Kale won’t allow it. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but _discipline_ isn’t exactly my thing.” –she says, sarcastic. “So, what do we do, O Wisest Namekian?”

Piccolo narrows his eyes. “I’m not sure. My only experience with fusion is that of Warrior-Type Namekians, and it can’t be undone.”

Their stomach drops. “ _Damn it,_ there _has_ to be a way!” –Caulifla growls.

“Not for Namekians.” –he says gravely. “But your case is very different to Namekian fusion. Your bodies mixed, for once – when Namekians fuse, there is only one host body, and it appears the same, no matter how many Namekians fuse.”

“Do their minds mix?” –Kale asks, quietly.

He shakes his head. “No, they do not. I’m told it’s _quite_ annoying – something of a permanent cacophony, especially if more than two Namekians fuse.”

“I wonder if _your_ fusion could fuse with other Saiyans.” –Gohan wonders, ever the smart, opinionated kid.

“We’re trying to _separate,_ not add people to the party, pipsqueak.” –Caulifla says, weary.

“Oh. Right, sorry.” –he says, blushing. Kale ruffles his hair – wild as a Saiyan’s, soft as a Xandarian’s – and reassures him that it’s fine.

Chi-Chi purses her lips. “It _could_ be something like Broly’s... _puffiness._ ” –she muses.

Kale raises their eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve seen your brother fight, right?”

Kale scowls. “No, I...no.” –she says. “I know fighting in the Tournament of Power isn’t the same as being a gladiator on Sakaar, but...it just brings back those memories. Sorry.”

Goku places a comforting hand on their shoulder. “Hey, it’s ok. We get it.” –he says. “What Chi-Chi means is that, the longer your brother fights, the more he _grows._ ”

“Broly’s already a _mountain_ of a man, but when he fights, he seems to swell – studying footage of him, we’ve seen him grow as much as a _whole foot_ taller. His hair rises, too, and his muscle mass seems to nearly _double._ ” –Chi-Chi explains. “The thing is, though, his mass remains the same. It’s like his energy seeps into his atoms and...fills in the blanks.”

“And what, you think _Paragus_ is behind this crap?” –Caulifla asks.

“No.” –Kale quietly says. “Our father didn’t really _add_ anything that wasn’t already there. He ‘unlocked the full potential of the Saiyan genome’, or so he claimed.”

“Well what gives, then?”

“We think Broly’s body goes through these rapid changes in order to safely harness an excess in _ki_.” –Piccolo explains. “All Saiyan bodies are naturally attuned to harnessing energy – absorbing punishment and using that power to fuel necessary improvements at a cellular level. Perhaps, when confronted with enormous power like yours and Broly’s, Saiyan physiology ‘builds’ itself into a body that can handle it.”

The girls ponder this for a moment. “So...Bulma was right, then? We just have to get rid of all this energy and we’ll defuse?”

Piccolo and Goku share a worried look. “Well, there _might_ be a _little_ problem with that plan.” –Goku says.

“You don’t know how to perform _ki_ blasts.” –Piccolo says. “And the amount of power you’re harboring right now isn’t the kind you can get rid of by sparring.”

Caulifla groans. “ _Of course._ ” –she laments. “Then teach me how to shoot _soul lasers,_ or whatever.”

“That might be... _another_ little problem.” –Goku mutters.

“Wh– you said it’s so easy _Goten_ could do it!” –Caulifla balks.

“It’s _easy,_ alright.” –Piccolo says, sarcastic. “For someone with a clear mind and singular focus – something someone possessed of _two minds_ might not be able to accomplish.”

“Can’t hurt to try, though.” –Goku says, ever the optimist.

So they try; it’s surprisingly easy to exert their power aura – their power seems to want nothing more than overflow – but when it comes to pooling the energy into their palms and blasting it outwards, they run into a problem. No matter how much the both of them try to shoot even a _single_ _ki_ blast, the energy won’t coalesce.

“See, that’s what I meant.” –Piccolo says, gesturing at the wildly fluctuating red and neon green energies – Caulifla’s and Kale’s, respectively – dancing around their hands. “Your body doesn’t know who to obey.”

Caulifla curses. “Okay, _fine._ Kale, take over, try and see if you can do it.”

Kale scowls for them. “I...don’t think that’s how it works, Cauli.”

“Please?” –Caulifla pleads. “Let’s at least make sure.”

Kale sighs. “Alright. Here goes.”

Caulifla tries her best to ‘go limp’, so to speak, but Kale’s right – it doesn’t work like that. Even though they’re fused, this is still her body, and so when she tries to relinquish control, they more or less ragdoll onto the beach, Kale’s will alone seemingly insufficient.

Goku purses his lips. “Alright, clear out, guys. Let me have a talk with them.”

Caulifla frowns as they sit back up and the others walk away. Goku sits, cross-legged, across from her. “Talk to me, Caulifla. What’s bothering you?”

The younger Saiyan scoffs. “What, _besides_ the fact that we’re stuck in a fusion?”

“Yeah, about that.” –Goku raises an eyebrow. “I don’t get it; you _love_ weird stuff like this. You used to cackle when Piccolo did the _stretchy arms_ thing, and you kept making fun of Yamcha whenever he brought up the ‘I’m one eighth Loboan, you know’ comments.” –he says. “I get it, it must be frustrating, not knowing how to end the fusion, but you’re even fused with _Kale._ ” –he says, meaningfully.

Kale tilts their head. “What does he mean by that?”

Caulifla blushes. “ _Nothing._ ” –she hisses. “Goku’s being an idiot.”

“Maybe I _am_ an idiot.” –Goku says, amused. “But at least I’m _honest_ about it, sis.”

Kale’s worry almost feels like her own, by now. “Caulifla, _please..._ just tell me, I _promise_ I won’t get mad.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about, Kale.” –Caulifla sighs. “Look, you _know_ I have a hard time expressing my feelings. I can’t do _mushy_ stuff the way you can. And it’s really cool that you can love so easily and so freely, but...well, it doesn’t come naturally to me. Probably never will.”

“It didn’t come naturally to me, either.” –Kale gently reminds her. “I was being raised to be some kind of _demon Saiyan,_ remember? Paragus wanted us to be ruthless, to feel nothing but rage. But that wasn’t the person I wanted to be, and thanks to Broly, I never have to be again.”

“What’s your point?”

“There’s _always_ a choice, Cauli. A chance for change, if you care to take it.” –Kale says. “It’s not always easy – in fact, sometimes it feels like it’s _impossible._ But you’re not alone in this – and not just because we’re sharing a body, y’know.” –she giggles.

_Kami above,_ she loves this girl.

“Caulifla, I know dad isn’t exactly _reasonable_ about things like these.” –Goku says, wincing. “And he might have a hard time with...all of this.” –he says, nodding at them. “But Bardock loves you, never doubt that. Heck, he loves _me,_ and he couldn’t be more disappointed in my life choices if he _tried._ ”

“And hey, if you decide not to do anything about it, it’s cool, too.” –he says, knowingly. “We’ll figure something out – go back to Bulma, talk to our parents, whatever you need. Just know we all support you, whatever you choose – though if you ask me...well, there’s some risks worth taking.”

Kale blinks, dabbing at a couple tears that have escaped their eyes. “I...think I lost the plot there, for a bit.” –she admits.

Goku winks. “It’s fine, Kale. Just...be there for Caulifla, will you?”

Her older brother rises, and walks towards the others, leaving them alone on the beach, their bare feet graced every so often by the cool waves. “Cauli?” –Kale gently prods.

“Hmm.” –Caulifla grunts.

“Is there...something that you want to tell me?”

Caulifla purses their lips. “I’m...thinking about it.”

Kale hums. “Well, in the meantime...I think I want to tell you something.”

Their eyes widen in surprise. “Wait, _what?_ ”

“It’s just...there’s this girl.” –Kale says. “Spunky, short – _really_ sensitive about it, too.”

They lean back until they hit the sand, and stare at the slowly darkening skies. Two of Xandar’s stars have already hid beneath the horizon, the remaining one steadily closing the distance. “I met this girl at a really tough part of my life. I’d just gotten out of what seemed like a death sentence by gladiatorial slavery, my brother had been co-opted into the Tournament of Power, and I’d been tossed at the system by the Nova Corps.” –she recalls. “I didn’t know anything about Xandar, and I _definitely_ didn’t know anyone who might’ve helped me understand my new life.”

Kale gives them a small smile. “And then I met her; another Saiyan, like me, but one without all the baggage Paragus had saddled us with, who’d grown up away from the cruelty of planet Vegeta. Someone who saw me, towering above almost every other student, and didn’t even hesitate to come over and talk to me like something I’d never had before: a _friend._ ”

“Kale...” –Caulifla whispers, overcome with emotion.

“And then, over time...well, maybe I was a little greedy, but I began to hope for more. She was my friend, and I knew she always would be, but I couldn’t help but hope that, maybe someday, she could be mine, and I could be hers.” –she confesses, blushing, then links their fingers together. “Caulifla, I don’t know why we fused, or if we’ll ever be able to split up, but I meant it before: I really _am_ glad that it’s _you_ I’m stuck with. Because it’s _you –_ it’s _always_ been _you._ ”

Caulifla is left speechless – and so, she doesn’t talk. She stops holding back, stops guarding her thoughts and feelings and lets Kale _see,_ all that she thinks and feels for her. All the little details she’s noticed – the way she looks worried and forlorn whenever someone mentions Broly or the Tournament, her hesitance when moving around, afraid that her size and strength will hurt someone or break something, and the constant glances whenever Caulifla wears something particularly skimpy. It’s like the floodgates have been opened, and now she can’t hold back every little thought that’s flitted through her head – every time she’s thought about stealing a kiss, or imagined them together as adults. It’s embarrassing, to be sure, but it’s also...

It’s honest.

Before they know it, they’re crying tears of joy, hugging themselves in lieu of being able to hug each other. Caulifla can feel their minds melding together – can’t quite tell her memories from Kale’s, the love they feel for each other becoming indistinct – but she’s not scared, not anymore. If she’s truly meant to be with Kale, sharing a body is a small price to pay.

Caulifla and Kale close their eyes, taking the plunge. It’s not quite them who comes out the other side.

Kefla opens her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a coffee's worth of money to spare.
> 
> Only one or two chapters left in this one! I'm gonna miss it, honestly. Until next time!


	5. The Saiyajin Word for Fusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kefla opens her eyes to love, happiness, and power beyond measure - so much so, in fact, that she might end up proving dangerous simply by existing. Fortunately, her friends, family, and most importantly, SCIENCE! are there to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The final regular chapter of a fic I wish I'd called "You and Me, and the Woman We Could Be". Maybe I'll change it after it's done? Anyway, this is pretty much the end - the sixth chapter will only be an epilogue of sorts. A glimpse at the future, if you will.
> 
> I knew from the start that this would be a small fic - both in word count and audience - but it's a concept I came to love and simply couldn't not write. I reiterate by saying I know Dragon Ball only from the wiki and Dragon Ball FighterZ videos, so I'm sure there are things I could've done better, respected the source material a bit more, but honestly? Fuck it. I enjoyed myself immensely, and I wouldn't change a thing.
> 
> Well, other than the title, but you knew that already.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Certainly, there _should_ be something intimidating about a fourteen-foot tall, four-armed Saiyan woman cackling with glee. It’s certainly one of the _stranger_ things Goku’s seen in his adventures – which is saying a _lot_ – and yet he can’t help but grin at the fusion’s palpable delight. They can all feel it; their _ki_ has perfectly merged into a single entity, no longer trapped between two distinct beings.

The fusion doesn’t even turn towards them, instead leaping backwards into a _wickedly_ high somersault, landing just ahead of them in a shower of sand and pebbles. She rises to her full height, the upper pair of arms confidently crossed and the lower pair innocently held behind her back.

“Caulifla?” –Goku asks, tentatively.

Laughing, the fusion shakes her head. “Not anymore, Goku.” –she says.

“Well...what do we call you, then?” –Chi-Chi asks.

They ponder the question for a second. “Hmm...Kale...plus Caulifla...” –she says, then grins like a madwoman. “...makes Kefla!”

Goku’s not sure he follows the naming logic there, but he doesn’t much care – both because Kefla’s _ki_ seems only to rise with no signs of stopping, and because his baby sister’s finally given in to her heart’s desires. “Well, how do you feel?” –he asks, giddy.

Kefla clenches all four fists, and a wave of sheer _ki_ energy – deep crimson fading to neon green – makes everyone stumble backwards. “I feel _incredible!_ I wanna arm wrestle Captain Marvel!”

Piccolo snorts. “It’s a little early to claim you’re on the level of Frieza’s _executioner,_ kid.” –he says, though he definitely seems impressed by Kefla’s mounting power. “Why don’t you back it up by sparring with some of us, first?”

“Oh, oh, oh, can I go first?” –Goku pleads.

Kefla cackles, her grin turning almost _predatory._ “I don’t know, Goku. I feel so _powerful!_ I feel like I could take on _anybody!_ ” –she boasts, her tails twirling in anticipation. “In fact...I’ll take _all_ you _suckers on!_ ”

“What, the pregnant woman and the children, too?” –Lazuli asks, sarcastic.

“We’ll just...be over _there_.” –Chi-Chi says, equal parts concerned and amused, ushering her young children along towards Kame House. Master Roshi follows along, too, mumbling something about being ‘too old for this sort of thing’ – he _is_ a couple centuries older than the average Xandarian, after all.

The fighters square up against Kefla, who’s clearly raring to go. Four-on-one seems _crazy,_ especially considering they’re far beyond the average martial artist, but Goku’s got a feeling that the match-up is only unfair to _them._ “Last fighter standing?” –he asks.

Kefla bares her slightly elongated Saiyan fangs. “If you think you can handle it.”

With that, the fusion _charges_ at the midst of their formation, an oversized hand grabbing onto Krillin’s _gi_ and smashing him into the sand before anyone can properly react. Goku throws a punch, but Kefla easily catches it, turning the momentum into a throw that slams him onto Lazuli, both of them tumbling away. Piccolo blasts her with a few tentative _ki_ blasts, but Kefla shrugs them off, completely unfazed.

“Oh, hey!” –she exclaims. “I should try that again, now that I’m _me._ ”

Kefla then furrows her brow in concentration, and her trio of free hands quickly become wreathed in energy – once again, merged crimson and green – but before she can unleash her _ki_ energy, Krillin below her manages to place his outstretched palms at either side of his face.

“ _Solar Flare!_ ” –he shouts, his fellow martial artists knowingly covering their eyes as a flash of blindingly bright light erupts from his face.

Kefla hisses, stumbling backwards as she rubs at her dual-colored eyes. Krillin takes the reprieve to compose himself, still dazed from the surprise attack, while the rest go on the offensive; Goku and Lazuli charge forward, ready to deliver a hell of a dual haymaker, while Piccolo puts two clawed fingers to his forehead, his aura flaring as he pools power into a – non-lethal – variant of his signature attack.

Goku and Lazuli land their blows, causing Kefla to stumble, but she seems to feel little pain, swinging back wildly, the mismatched duo barely getting out of the way in time, peppering the fusion with a volley of _ki_ blasts she almost _instinctively_ starts to block, and even slap away with her bare hands. Still, it’s unnecessary, as even the bolts that _do_ strike her seem to have no effect.

The blindness wears off, so Kefla leaps towards them, negating the ranged advantage. Lazuli manages to land a quick 1-2 to her jaw, but the fusion grabs the Android’s arms and pulls her into a knee to the gut and a subsequent, powerful headbutt that drives her into the sand. Goku delivers a trio of jabs at her midsection, but he’s pretty sure that it hurts _him_ more than it does her.

Seems like he has to bust out the big guns.

“ _Kaio-ken!_ ” –he proclaims, becoming wreathed in a fiery red aura, his every attribute – speed, endurance, strength, and so on – supernaturally enhanced two-fold. He leaps forward, then lands two straight punches to Kefla’s sternum – these she _does_ seem to feel, causing her to grunt – before jumping overhead, beginning to charge a _Kamehameha_ Wave, upside down, just in time for Piccolo’s attack to be ready.

Simultaneously, the warriors roar. “ _Kamehameha! Special Beam Cannon!_ ”

Caught in between two massive _ki_ projections, Kefla becomes engulfed in lightning and flame. For a second, Goku fears they’ve gone too far – that his unyielding, Saiyan passion for fighting has finally harmed someone he loves, just as he’s always feared – but his worries, it seems, are unfounded.

As the _ki_ stream subsides, Kefla stands tall. All four of her hands are outstretched, a pair for each side of the dual attack. Heat wavers off her palms, but that is the sum of their accomplishments – even her strange clothes are unharmed, her aura proving impervious, even to their combined assault. Goku can scarcely believe it; even _Broly_ would’ve felt that one.

“ _Okay..._ ” –Piccolo mutters. “So maybe there _is_ something to your boasting.”

Kefla laughs. “Oh, there’s _something,_ alright.” –she says. “Now, check _this_ out!”

The fusion’s aura flares outward, impossibly strong – so powerful, in fact, that tendrils of it begin scarring the beach around them, turning sand to glass in an instant, vaporizing patches of grass, and forcing the warriors to back off towards Kame House. There’s a moment in which Kefla seems lost in her power, levitating off the ground without any training, spheres of scarlet _ki_ spawning at her finger tips, spinning into glowing crimson and neon green beams that would surely end them all, but realization hits her then.

They’re all... _afraid_ of her.

Almost immediately, the power dissipates into nothingness, and she drops back onto the wounded beach. Kefla looks around in shock at what she’s done, her hands shaking at the thought of what she _could’ve_ done, if she hadn’t realized. It’s not like she was _mindless,_ either – she was just enjoying herself too much, nearly enough to hurt her friends and family.

Goku dashes up to her. “Kefla! Are you okay?”

Kefla blinks. “Wha– _me!?_ I almost _incinerated you!_ I should be the one asking _you!_ ”

The elder Saiyan pretends to check himself, then looks back towards the others. “I mean, we’re all fine.” –he says. “But _you_ clearly aren’t.”

She stutters. “I-I just...I thought this was it.” –she admits. “I thought finally accepting the fusion would fix everything.”

Their fists clench. “But...I guess all I _really_ did was make myself a danger to everyone.”

“Hey, none of that.” –he says. “Accidents happen – and sure, when people have this kind of power, they _can_ be pretty dangerous. But not a lot of these people can hold themselves back the way you did. Not many of them even _want_ to.” –he says, darkly. “The fact that you _would_ means you deserve to wield it. There’s nothing wrong with it _or_ with you.”

“But...Goku, I can _feel it,_ bubbling just under my skin.” –she says, wincing. “It’s just _itching_ to get out.”

“Then you learn how to do it safely.” –he says. “It doesn’t matter what kind of power you wield – technology, biology, magic, _ki –_ as long as you bear that burden responsibly. We all learned how – even Broly.” –he grudgingly admits, for her sake. “We’d be happy to teach you.”

Kefla purses her lips, worried. It’s... _intoxicating,_ swimming in this much power, but she’s seen what unleashing even a _bit_ of it does; can something as simple as training even help? How the _hell_ is she supposed to go about her day to day if a _sneeze_ might topple a building?

The subsonic hum of anti-grav engines interrupts them; Kefla fears, for a moment, that the Nova Corps have decided that she’s a danger to the public, but the approaching vehicle is actually a Capsule Corp shuttle, which lands – pretty roughly, she’s gotta say – just a few feet away from them. Bulma steps off the cockpit, looking like she just ran out of her lab.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry I’m late!” –she says, somewhat out of breath. “Girls, how are you feeling?”

“It’s just ‘ _girl’_ now.” –the fusion says. “I’m Kefla.”

Bulma’s lips form a perfect ‘o’ shape. “ _Wow._ That’s _fascinating..._ ” –she trails off, then shakes her head. “A-anyway, I’m sorry it took me so long, but I finally figured it out!”

Goku raises an eyebrow. “Figured... _what_ out?”

“Oh, hey Goku.” –she says, as if she’s just noticed him. The bluenette digs into her lab coat pocket and fishes out a small case, which opens to reveal...a pair of _earrings._ It’s a very simple design; a golden hoop connected to a small shaft, in turn leading to a green gemstone of some kind, polished to an almost... _supernatural_ sheen. “Ta-da! I give you: the Potara earrings!”

Kefla blushes pretty intensely – the name makes _some_ amount of sense, as _‘potara’_ _is_ the _Saiyajin_ word for ‘merging’ or ‘union’...but the context it’s used in is usually of a _carnal_ nature. “I’m sorry, _what?_ ”

She grins. “So, after you left, I dug a little deeper into my files on Saiyan biology. Contrasted them with the data we salvaged from Paragus’... _research._ Then matched _those_ with the results of your scans.” –she explains. “I was right; your fusion is a result of Saiyan biology’s hyper-plasticity, a _hell_ of an adrenaline rush, and a _big ol’ fucking_ _crush._ Trying to protect each other, your bodies tried to muster the necessary strength and ended up unable to tell where Kale started and Caulifla ended. Your body isn’t quite _real –_ it’s a construct of _pure energy,_ held together by the bonds of love and trust!”

“That doesn’t... _sound_ very scientific.” –Goku commments, confused.

“I mean, I _could_ give you a detailed dissertation on the tangible alterations to the biochemistry of any non-aromantic sapient experiencing attraction and how they were combined with and _supercharged_ by the highly volatile and energetic nature of Saiyan cellular structures, but this is _way_ more romantic.” –she smirks.

Goku stares blankly, while Kefla squats down to their level, gingerly taking the earrings. “Okay, so...what do they do?”

Bulma pockets the case. “Each of these puppies can identify and isolate your entire _being –_ the atoms that make you and the energy that binds them – and separate you or merge you back together at will! You can be Caulifla, Kale, _and_ Kefla, whenever you want!”

Kefla gasps, nearly overcome with emotion. “Holy _shit..._ and you’re _sure_ they work?”

The bluenette shrugs. “Only one way to find out.”

The fusion stares at the tiny pieces of jewelry. A part of her fears that they’ll work, but only at separating her into her components – that her existence will be all too brief, that Caulifla and Kale will never try to bring her into being again – but she shakes off those notions. The girls put all their trust and hopes in her when they decided to finally become Kefla – it’s only right that she returns the gesture.

Kefla dons the Potara earrings, and closes her eyes. For a moment, nothing happens, but soon enough, their form becomes pure, blinding white light, the singular humanoid shape shrinking into the original two Saiyans. After a final burst of heat, much like in the initial fusion, the glow subsides, and Caulifla and Kale stand where Kefla did before, both of them embracing.

Caulifla’s pretty sure she’s standing on molten sand, and from the way everyone’s panicking and shouting about blankets it seems that Kefla took her clothes with her, but in this moment, she couldn’t care less about anything else – the love in Kale’s eyes is all that she can see, and the breathless kiss that follows is all that she’ll remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a buck to spare.
> 
> Thank you so much for joining me on this little adventure, keep an eye out for the epilogue, and, at the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy (and/or incurring the Mouse's wrath):
> 
> Kefla will return


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gine reflects on her strange family - downright weird, by Saiyan standards. Caulifla and Kale arrive just in time to prove her point, tenfold.
> 
> Back at Capsule Corp, the Prince of all Saiyans comes back from a rather unproductive meeting with Saiyajin nobility. He's grumpy - what else is new - but Bulma just might have something to pick his spirits up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! Gosh, it's such a rare thing, for me to finish a fic. Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you look forward to the girls' future adventures in this universe!

Gine knows her family’s an odd one, of course. _Especially_ by Saiyan standards.

By all accounts, her husband should be a hero, having saved the life of their race’s crown prince, and yet his presence is... _discouraged,_ to say the least, back in planet Vegeta. She abandoned her own career as a proud warrior, expanding Saiyan dominance throughout the galaxy, to raise children and sell meat in the heart of an Empire known for its stubbornly pacifistic ways. Her eldest child, similarly rated as a very respectable middle class Saiyan warrior, chose to spend his days hunting down lowlifes and criminals for money, instead. Kakarot seems to have fully _rejected_ his Saiyan heritage, down to his very _name,_ choosing instead a life of idyllic adventure and... _sportsmanship._ As for her daughter, well. Caulifla hasn’t even stepped foot on their homeworld. Hasn’t ever shown an interest in it, or the traditional _Saiyajin_ ways, either.

Gine loves them all, though, just as they are. She just wishes she were better at showing it. That they were around more often, for her to try.

“Where’s the _brat?_ ” –Bardock grumbles, floating into the kitchen on his hoverchair. Gine looks up from her ledger, which has had her cursing the Saiyan _Zeni_ to Nova Units exchange rate for the past half hour.

“Out with Kale still, I’d wager.” –she says, smirking tiredly. She then looks at the time, and frowns. “Though it _is_ past Kale’s curfew.”

Bardock narrows his eyes. “That girl would _bust through_ _walls_ to make her bedtime.” –he notes. “Why didn’t any of _ours_ come out like her?”

“Discipline isn’t genetic, Bardock.” –she chides. “And besides, our children have their own strengths.”

The older Saiyan huffs. “They wouldn’t have lasted a _day_ in the Force.” –he says.

“Considering the sorry state it’s in right now, I’d say that’s rather a good thing.” –she says, sarcastic. “Not to mention the fact that they turned out to be traitors who would’ve wiped us out without a second thought, if not for that Kree demigoddess.”

Bardock grumbles. “It should’ve been us. We’re _Saiyans,_ damn it, we shouldn’t need to be _saved._ ”

“We’ve gone over this, dear. Just be thankful we aren’t _atoms_ drifting through space, right now.”

He mumbles something about that being the better alternative, to which Gine merely shakes her head. He’s all talk, like always. “You’re right, though; it really isn’t like Kale to keep Caulifla up so late.” –she agrees. “You don’t think they could be in trouble do you?”

“They’re _Saiyans,_ they probably _are._ ” –he rolls his eyes. “Maybe the brat’s finally realized they’re both crazy for each other.”

Gine chuckles. “I don’t know, love. Our Caulifla’s _many_ things, but _observant_ isn’t one of them.”

“Well, I damn well hope she stays that way.” –he grumbles.

Gine snorts. “Oh, trust me, they’re _absolutely_ getting together. Though admittedly, I bet Kale would have to literally spell it out for Cauli to even _consider_ it.”

Their house door chimes open, which means Caulifla’s finally returned. Judging by the second set of footsteps, it’s not just her. Gine and Bardock turn as their daughter walks into the kitchen, followed closely by Kale. Oddly enough, neither of them is wearing what they were wearing in the morning – Caulifla’s wearing one of Chi-Chi’s Xandarian tunics, and Kale’s donned one of Kakarot’s orange and blue training _gi._ They also have, each of them, a single earring on the right and left ear, respectively.

Gine tries – and mostly, fails – to disguise her excitement at their held hands and blushing cheeks.

“Hey, girls.” –Gine greets cheerfully. “Awfully late for you to be out, isn’t it Kale?”

The tallest Saiyan in the room rubs the back of her head. “It’s...a long story, but the orphanage gave me permission to stay out for a night.” –she says, nervous. “If it’s not too much trouble, of course.”

Gine waves her concern away. “Nonsense, sweetie. Will you be fine staying in Caulifla’s room, or would you like one of the boys’?”

“She’ll stay with me.” –Caulifla says, almost daring her parents to object, but neither of them do.

“You guys seem like you had a pretty interesting day.” –Gine prods, nodding at their strange attire.

Kale laughs nervously. “You could say that, yeah.”

Caulifla takes in a deep breath. “So, a _lot_ happened today.” –she begins. “Some of it was kind of scary, and...some of it was _really nice._ ” –she admits.

Gine frowns, exchanging a look with her husband. “What do you mean? Scary how?”

The girl winces. “It’s...damn it, I had this whole speech planned, but I already forgot it. It’s just...kinda hard to explain.”

Kale squeezes Caulifla’s hand. “I think it’s better if we just show them, Cauli.”

Bardock raises an eyebrow. “Show us _what,_ exactly?”

Caulifla sighs. “Just...don’t freak out, alright?”

Gine narrows her eyes, suspicious. “Did you get a tattoo?”

“What? _No!_ ...good idea for later, though.” –she says, before she closes her eyes, smiles, and both her and Kale are engulfed in light and heat. Gine’s left completely speechless, as two Saiyan girls become a single, fourteen-foot tall woman, struggling to fit into her tiny kitchen. Gine doesn’t recognize the clothing – the baggy white pants, the black bralette, the blue sash around her waist, or the black and orange vest – but she can _see_ her baby girl in this strange new being, in the way her hair spikes every which way, even as it tries to stick to Kale’s haircut, in the curve of her jaw, and the single, mismatched eye she’s known since the moment Caulifla was born.

Half Kale, half Caulifla – but also, someone entirely new.

“So, _hey._ ” –she says, half amused at their reaction, half wracked with nerves. “We’re... _I’m_ Kefla.” –she introduces herself, waving with two of her four hands. Behind her, Gine spies twin tails, where a Saiyan would only have one.

Bardock stares at Kefla for an uncomfortably long time. Finally, he sighs, pulling out a couple thousand _Zeni_. “Not how you _expected_ this to go, I bet, but...I suppose congratulations are in order.” –he says, handing over the money to Gine.

Gine grabs the cash, not even pretending to be gracious about it. “You...made a bet about me fusing?” –Kefla wonders, confused.

“No, no. _That_ part you _definitely_ have to explain.” –Gine admits. “We’re just...really glad you girls finally realized you loved each other. It was _long_ overdue.”

Kefla shakes her head. “And you, Bardock? You’re...not mad?”

Bardock rolls his eyes. “My children haven’t, any of them, been what I expected them to be. Why would _you_ be any different?” –he says, not-quite-bitter, then offers a rare, tiny smirk. “Broken as I am, the only job I have left is being your father. I would make for a very _poor_ one if I didn’t love my own daughter, _whatever_ form she takes.”

* * *

“ _Besides, I bet you could kick Kakarot’s ass twice over like this._ ” –Bardock’s voice fades out as Bulma dissipates the holographic feed from the drone she sent to watch over the girls. She smiles, sweetly – she’s glad the grumpy old Saiyan proved reasonable, of course, the girls deserve all the love they can get – and leans back on her chair as Trunks runs over to her from the windows, breathless.

“Mama! Daddy’s here!” –he says, excited.

She beckons him over, and gently tucks his tail into the traditional, upper-class ‘belt’. “Did you practice your glowy eyes?” –she asks.

Trunks pouts. “I tried, but...they didn’t glow this time. I’m sorry, mama.”

Bulma brushes his lavender-colored hair with her fingers. “It’s perfectly fine, Trunks. Go put on your Saiyan armor, will you? I bet your dad’s gonna love it.”

He nods happily, and runs off. The doors to her lab open, and in walks the Prince of all Saiyans, all five foot, five inches of him, pointy hair included. He wears pristine royal armor, with the full shoulder pads, and even the red cape he usually despises.

“What news from the front?” –she asks, sarcastically.

Vegeta crosses his arms, removing the scarlet garment and tossing it aside. “The King continues to be _weak._ ” –he says, despectively. “He _refuses_ to listen to reason.”

Bulma hums. “To be fair, Saiyans _have_ fought people for money for _centuries_. Going on a crusade against the Black Order just to _prove they can_ isn’t _quite_ the Saiyan way. Hasn’t been since ancient times.”

“But it _was._ And it should be, again.” –he says, impassioned. “It _will_ be, once we unlock the secrets of the Super _Saiyajin._ ”

“Yeah, not much progress on that front, unfortunately.” –she winces. “Hard to provoke it without going around, threatening the lives of potential Super Saiyans and their loved ones.”

Vegeta issues a cruel smile. “I’m fine with that.”

Bulma shakes her head. “I _know_ you are. I _might_ have...something _else,_ though.” –she muses.

Vegeta scoffs. “Something that can even _compare_ to what I saw Bardock pull off, all those years ago?”

The bluenette smirks, bringing up a holographic representation of Kefla, as well as all the data she managed to pull from her. Vegeta approaches, his curiosity peaked. “With any luck? Something _better._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a buck to spare.
> 
> Until next time!


End file.
